Barclays, title sponsor of the League Managers Association (LMA), asked the managers what they thought about this year's tournament and Rooney was unanimously chosen as England's most important player.

According to the survey, 59 per cent believe Rooney will also be amongst the top three stand-out players with 82 per cent of the managers citing Messi as the player set to make the biggest impact in South Africa.

When asked who they thought might prove to be the tournament's surprise package, 41 per cent plumped for 1998 champions France, while a further 18 per cent predicted Sven Goran Eriksson's Ivory Coast to progress from the so-called 'Group of Death' and enjoy a successful tournament.

South America still produces the world's best footballers according to the managers (71 per cent), although 29 per cent believe that Africa will be the continent that produces the stars of the future over the coming decade.

RESULTS

Which player do you think is the most important for England’s hopes in the World Cup?

1. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 100pc

Which Barclays Premier League forward do you think has the best chance of winning the World Cup’s Golden Boot?

1. Fernando Torres (Liverpool & Spain) 47pc

2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United & England) 41pc

3. Carlos Tevez (Manchester City & Argentina) 12pc

Which three players do you think will be the ‘stand-out’ players at the World Cup?

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) 82pc

2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United & England) 59pc

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 29pc

Who do you think will win the World Cup?

1. Brazil 53pc

2. Spain 24pc

3. Argentina 12pc

Outside FIFA’s top seven seeded teams, who do you think will be the tournament’s ‘surprise package’?

1. France 41pc

2. Ivory Coast 18pc

3. Serbia 12pc

At this moment which country do you think is producing the best football players?

1. Brazil 53pc

2 = Spain 18pc

2 = Argentina 18pc

Over the coming decade which continent do you think will produce the best top class footballers?

1. South America 41pc

2 = Africa 29pc

2 = Europe 29pc

Which African player do you feel has made the biggest impact on the Premier League since its inception?

1. Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 94pc

2. Michael Essien (Chelsea) 6pc

Which African player not currently playing in the Barclays Premier League do you think would make the most positive impact on the Barclays Premier League?

1. Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) 47pc

2 = Maroune Chamakh (Morocco) 23pc

2 = Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) 23pc

Which African player do you think is the best in the world at the moment?

1. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) 71pc

2. Michael Essien (Ghana) 11pc

3 = Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) 6pc

3 = Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast) 6pc

3 = Marouane Chamakh (Morocco) 6pc

The survey was completed by 17 of 20 Barclays Premier League managers in May 2010.